There are a variety of financial-based transactions and services available to users at various locations, including services such as the wiring of funds, cashing of checks, cash access from credit cards, ATM cards, online and offline debit cards, and many others. Oftentimes, the fee for these services may be prohibitive for certain users, where the fee is a percentage of the amount of the transaction or a minimum amount. Further, there may be restricted access to the funds. If, for example, a user wishes to send money to a person in another part of the country, or even another part of the world, the user may have to physically mail cash funds to the other person, which can be undesirable for many reasons, or wire the money to the person, which requires that person to have easy access to a location where the wired funds can be received. Further, it is required that this location be open for business when the intended recipient arrives.
Other transactions exist where the fees or procedure may not be prohibitive, but may simply be inconvenient. For example, a user acquiring a substantial amount of cash may not wish to carry the cash around. Unless the user has access to a bank, or is willing to deposit the funds into an ATM (which may not provide access to those funds for a period of time), the user may have no choice but to carry the cash around or place the cash in a location such as a hotel room or glove compartment. In some cases the user may need access to the funds to pay someone, for example, but still would prefer not to have to carry cash. If there is no bank or place for obtaining a money order that is convenient, if it is after hours, or if the user does not know to whom to address the money order, for example, there may be no viable option other than carrying the large amount of cash. Further still, even if the user actually gives the other person the cash, there may be no proof that the funds were actually transferred.
In other cases, a user desiring a financial service must have a PIN number or other identifier to access the service. In some instances, it is difficult or at least inconvenient for a user to have to remember multiple PIN numbers, passwords, etc. Further, a PIN number typically requires a user to have an account with an existing financial institution, which for a number of reasons may be difficult for many potential users.
Another problem with obtaining financial services using existing institutions is that locations such as cash advance centers carry a lot of cash, and typically are in areas that have relatively high crime rates. This can present an undesirable situation for many users, as these institutions themselves are prone to robberies and theft due to the amount of cash on the premises. Such problems prevent many merchants and others from offering these financial services, due to the need for security, bullet proof glass, etc.
It therefore is desirable to provide a flexible system providing a variety of financial transactions and other such services that charges relatively low and/or affordable fees.
It also is desirable to provide convenient and 24 hour access to a variety of financial transactions and other such services using common elements such as cash, checks, driver's licenses, credit cards, ID cards, and other such elements.
It also is desirable to provide locations where cash is not processed, but financial services are processed using paper, cards, or electronic information, for example, which are less likely to be targets for robbery, etc.